Is a lazy sway better than nothing?

[Jasmine]

I've done nearly two weeks of not eating enough. I've been drinking like a fish since my daughter was born (long story). Am I better off giving it a shot after ovulation than giving the diet up completely? I can't cope with it for another month and I've been trying various diets for a while and been trying to lose weight but my periods started becoming delayed or irregular, it might be the alcohol, it might be the diet but I'm starting to feel unhealthy, so should I just continue eating noodles & toast with a bit of yoghurt for pudding and give it a shot on Thursday??

Really sorry for bothering you all but I'm struggling!

[rainbowflower]

*hugs* you sound really down

the LE diet itself is tricky but if you follow it it gets easier... I'm not sure you've got to grips with it yet? you can eat way more than noodles and toast on it. It's low everything not no everything so you can still have some variety to make it more interesting. Feeling unhealthy probably sways pink really, but you don't want to shock your body enough that you make yourself ill.

have you been to your GP about the alcohol? or to seek help with whatever the long story is - someone to talk to perhaps?

[Jasmine]

Thanks, I'm trying my best and I'm a bit OCD when it comes to diets. I'm trying to lose weight anyway, so it's all good. I'm perhaps a bit heavy, I'm only a size 10 (UK) but my BMI is over, so hopefully if I don't get pregnant, I'll be a bit slimmer. It doesn't seem I'm going to get pregnant anytime soon anyway. I don't want to start failing the diet by going over, if you understand me?

I have seen my GP but I didn't really fancy Citalopram, I'm not an alcoholic or anything, it's just something to look forward to. I gave up smoking anyway and it's the only thing I have left to enjoy - especially on this diet. I could do with a massive amount of chocolate, but I'll be good!

[rainbowflower]

GPs can give you other treatment than medicines (not that there's any shame in medicines - my mum and DH take antidepressants and it has helped them immensely) but talking therapy/CBT can be really useful especially if you get stuck in certain negative or obsessive thought processes. I had that for anxiety and grief and it's made me cope so much better with daily life.

Believe it or not chocolate is actually allowed on the LE diet as is cake and can help you bump up your fat/calories for the day.

[Jasmine]

The medication really was the end of the line after 2 years of horrible counselling and CBT, which didn't help to change the way I think. I guess talking therapy just doesn't help me. I think I have that typical British reserve!

Citalopram isn't for everyone, it made me worse, not better and made me gain weight! I suppose it depends on the person, antidepressants have some really awful side effects. It's thought that Citalopram increases your risk for heart attacks. Shocking really.

Anyway, back to the topic. I generally feel alright but I just like to feel I have control over the situation (even though I don't) and the diet gets tough because I'm very all or nothing. If I buy a packet of biccies, I generally have the lot! Like a nice bottle of wine! Haha. I don't drink wine anymore though because after my pregnancy with my daughter, it just doesn't taste the same.

So am I actually swaying or is it just 50/50?

[rainbowflower]

there are different types of antidepressants. My DH was prescribed citalopram and didn't get on with it either - he had some awful side effects that made him worse such as making him have really disrupted sleep and snoring severely so he was always exhausted and sleep deprived too. Thankfully there are many alternatives they can prescribe and he's now on one (I think it's sertraline or something like that) which is working for him and has the added bonus of decreasing appetite (he could do with losing some weight). It's worth asking your doctor about alternatives?

as for whether what you're doing sways, yes I'd think so. What was your lifestyle like when you conceived your DD?

[Jasmine]

My GP said he is reluctant to prescribe under 30s any other type of anti depressant, especially if they've had sucicidal thoughs and stuff in the past as it increases the risk of someone actually doing it when you're younger.

With my daughter, I conceived her on the 30th December and prior to that I had a whole tub full of Quality Street, half a tub of Celebrations, loads of Doritos, Cranberry & Magnesium sups with EPO, 3 Christmas dinners, cheesy noodles, chicken, that's all I can remember. The only difference is I had two meals the day I conceived my son and I was really hungry and had nothing when I conceived my daughter. However I did eat more potatoes with my son and had a jacket spud and beans for lunch and I think a mayo chicken burger from McDonalds for tea!

So I'm trying a bit harder this time, so I'm not sure if it'll work.

[rainbowflower]

that's really weird, I've not heard that before. My DH was 28 when he was prescribed that, but was also prescribed a different one again when he was 26!

maybe it was just one of those things, the girl swimmer got there first on the day! no sway is 100% either

[Jasmine]

I suppose different PCTs have different policies, so some areas will act differently.

I was swaying for girl but I gave it up on the 25-26th for Christmas. I mainly ate cheesy noodles, looking back not a great sway but I thought it was at the time and it worked. My donor was 38 or 39 at the time, so I suppose that ups the odds as well. I'm using the same one this time, so hopefully I will get another girl, but this time healthy. I didn't eat as many calories though and no breakfast. Maybe that's why I got my daughter. What do you think?

[rainbowflower]

oh, sorry I wasn't aware you were using a donor. Yes I guess his age could have come into it. Perhaps all the good work you did pre-Christmas was still enoguh to convince your body that times were hard!
no breakfast definitely sways as well - from what I've seen it's one of the strongest swaying factors